Written Answers

Thursday 31 August 2000

Scottish Executive

Aggregates Tax

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the impact of the proposed aggregates levy on the cost of road maintenance and road building.

Sarah Boyack: No such assessment has been made. The aim of the proposed aggregates levy is to reflect, in the price of aggregates, the environmental costs imposed on society by quarrying. The public sector will face these costs in the same way as private business. The levy will increase the incentive to economise on the use of aggregates and to consider use of recycled material.

Agriculture

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what budgets were set for the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme in each of the last five years and what allocation of grants was made under the scheme in each of those years.

Ross Finnie: There is no separate budget for the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme (ABIS) which forms part of the Highlands and Islands Agricultural Programme (HIAP). The HIAP budget for the period 1994-99 is as follows:

  


 


£ million




Crofting Township Development Scheme 
and the Marketing Scheme


3.1




ABIS


14.7




Transferred to other parts of the 
Highlands and Islands Objective 1 Programme


2.7




Reduction due to currency fluctuations 
1994-99*


2.5




Total


23.0




  *The European Commission provided some compensation for these fluctuations and the money was allocated to those Highlands and Islands Objective 1 schemes which were, at the time, under most pressure.

  The total value of grants offered under ABIS is £15.9 million, split as follows:

  


1995


£2.5 million




1996


£3.2 million




1997


£3.6 million




1998


£2.6 million




1999 (to end-September)


£4.0 million




Total


£15.9 million




  Of this, £2.4 million has been revoked as it was not taken up by applicants within the two-year period for carrying out work and claiming grant. This leaves £1.2 million of the total £14.7 million to be reallocated. This sum has now been supplemented by an additional £1 million announced by me on 16 November.

  (This question was originally answered on 3 February 2000).

Agriculture

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the uniform charge by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency of £123 per farm for authority for disposal of sheep dip and pesticide was calculated.

Sarah Boyack: Charges under the Groundwater Regulations are determined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency which has responsibility for setting levels which enable the agency to move towards full recovery of the costs of regulation, in line with the polluter pays principle. These costs include those of inspecting authorised disposal areas, monitoring of groundwater, reviewing authorisations and maintaining records and public registers.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it made to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions document Thin Routes Study; whether it will detail this input, and whether it will make copies of any correspondence available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Sarah Boyack: The results of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions sponsored Study - Inverness-London Air Service: Economic Impact Assessment has not yet been submitted to Ministers and publishing arrangements have not been finalised. Scottish Executive officials commented on the methodology and on a draft report. Under the terms of the Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information, it would not be appropriate for the Executive to disclose information which would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion and advice, including between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government. However, the emerging issues from this study, and those from the Scottish Airports and Air Services Study and other Regional Studies in the rest of the UK, are being co-ordinated and audited for consistency as part of the Regional Air Services Co-ordination (RASCO) Study. Once RASCO has been completed the next step will be for a UK-wide public consultation exercise.

Civil Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in taking forward civil service reform within the Executive.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Executive is committed to best value and modern government for Scotland. Ministers recognise that the staff of the Executive has made immense efforts to deliver devolution. The aim of civil service reform is to maximise the effectiveness of the staff of the Executive in order to deliver 21st   Century Government and make it work for the people of Scotland. The Executive is developing and implementing innovative approaches, from more participative and issue-based policy making, to continuous improvement in delivery of services by the application of information and communication technology.

  To develop and lead the modernisation process, a parallel programme of civil service reform is under way. The Executive’s action plan focuses on key developments in leadership, business planning, performance management, diversity, and attracting and developing talent. To equip the staff to meet these challenges, training priorities have been overhauled and refocused; external recruitment is taking place at all levels; business processes are being re-engineered, and internal communications have been systematically developed and improved.

  I am pleased to announce the Executive has been successful in securing an additional £3.58 million from Cabinet Office funds to support and accelerate this work. These funds will help develop corporate leadership by supporting the newly established Scottish Leadership Foundation and introducing 360 degree feedback; help to develop a new integrated business planning and performance management system; to increase diversity in the Executive by encouraging the recruitment and progression of people from traditionally under-represented groups – women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities; to boost the range of skills and experience available by substantially increasing staff interchange in partnership with public and private sectors; to raise skills levels, especially among junior staff, by introducing formal qualifications, and to develop more flexible ways of working which exploit the potential of information technology with benefits both to staff and to the Executive.

Education

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will quantify the savings made from the phasing out of the assisted places scheme.

Peter Peacock: Over time, the assisted places scheme budget will reduce to nil from a budget of £13.9 million in 1998-99. The allocations made to the scheme as a result of the comprehensive spending review are shown in the table below.

  Assisted Places Scheme CSR Allocation

  


1999-2000
£ million


2000-01
£ million


2001-02
£ million




11.7


9.7


7.5




  (This question was originally answered on 11 January 2000).

Education

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date the Working Group on Teachers’ Disciplinary Procedures has been asked to submit its report.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I expect the working group to report by June 2000.

  (This question was originally answered on 11 January 2000).

Education

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children have records of need in each local authority area in Scotland.

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the school population in each local authority area in Scotland is made up of children with records of needs.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The information requested is given in the table below:

  


PQ S1W-5746 - Data collected by the 
School Census in September 1998
Number of pupils with a Record 
of Needs, by Education Authority
  



Local Authority


Primary


Secondary


Special


Total


% of School Roll




Scotland


3,869


4,589


6,934


15,392


1.95%




Aberdeen City


169


150


476


795


2.61%




Aberdeenshire


168


191


292


651


1.76%




Angus


118


159





277


1.66%




Argyll & Bute


51


64


45


160


1.16%




Clackmannanshire


25


71


86


182


2.10%




Dumfries & Galloway


239


215


30


484


2.14%




Dundee City


191


206


188


585


2.62%




East Ayrshire


109


145


169


423


2.18%




East Dunbartonshire


28


28


96


152


0.78%




East Lothian


73


48





121


0.90%




East Renfrewshire


67


107


43


217


1.35%




Edinburgh, City of


225


145


687


1,057


1.75%




Eilean Siar


63


45





108


2.44%




Falkirk


98


125


311


534


2.52%




Fife


165


211


216


592


1.10%




Glasgow City


242


226


1,895


2,363


2.75%




Highland


309


404


156


869


2.56%




Inverclyde


128


140


138


406


2.89%




Midlothian


40


15


131


186


1.44%




Moray


133


150


13


296


2.06%




North Ayrshire


107


185


197


489


2.23%




North Lanarkshire


195


217


493


905


1.70%




Orkney Islands


12


23


8


43


1.34%




Perth & Kinross


143


123


118


384


1.83%




Renfrewshire


169


291


354


814


2.93%




Scottish Borders


126


129


5


260


1.67%




Shetland Islands


52


26





78


1.99%




South Ayrshire


104


176


85


365


2.05%




South Lanarkshire


179


353


432


964


1.97%




Stirling


33


136


68


237


1.80%




West Dunbartonshire


28


20


92


140


0.88%




West Lothian


80


65


110


255


1.01%




  Note: The above figures show the education authorities that are educating the pupils. Some EAs pay others to educate pupils on their behalf - which limits how much comparison is possible between EAs.

  (These questions were originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Education

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were granted a record of needs last year, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The figures for 1999-2000 are not yet available.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Education

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were assessed to ascertain whether they require a record of needs last year, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Fisheries

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to authorise a seal cull on the west coast of Scotland.

Mr John Home Robertson: There are no plans to authorise such a cull in Scottish waters. Powers to take appropriate action against seals to protect fisheries vel are already available under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many paediatric patients in the Scottish Borders will be affected by the centralisation of paediatric cardiac surgery in Glasgow.

Susan Deacon: On the basis of numbers in recent years, and taking into account the reducing trend in the need for paediatric cardiac surgery, it seems likely that around 4-7 children each year from the Borders Health Board area will require to have this form of surgery in Glasgow. Children from Dumfries & Galloway Health Board are already referred to Glasgow for cardiac surgery.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the types and number of operations which have taken place at Stracathro Hospital, Angus, since the removal of emergency surgery in 1998.

Susan Deacon: The types and numbers of operations undertaken at Stracathro Hospital both before and after the removal of emergency surgery in August 1998, are indicated in the table below. Only general and major surgery have been transferred to Ninewells. Orthopaedic surgery and medical emergency admissions are still carried out at Stracathro.

  Discharges from Stracathro hospital, September 1998 to March 1999, by quarter; showing type and principal operation/procedure performed.

  





1998
30 Sept


1998
31 Dec


1999
31 Mar




Total Discharges


2,578


2,554


2,790




 of which 













 Emergency


929


905


959




 Elective


1,283


1,184


1,367




 Transfers


366


465


464


















All principal operations & procedures


1,253


1,103


1,280




 showing type













 A Nervous System


16


26


40




 B Endocrine System & 


3


1


2




 C Eye


-


-


-




 D Ear


-


-


1




 E Respiratory Tract


90


62


54




 F Mouth


90


62


53




 G Upper Digestive Tract


184


110


151




 H Lower Digestive Tract


125


118


104




 J Other Abdominal Organs (digestive)


17


3


15




 L Arteries & Veins


25


7


32




 M Urinary


200


206


223




 N Male genital organs


70


78


80




 P Lower Female Genital Tract


1


2


-




 Q Upper Female Genital Tract


14


18


17




 S Skin


51


30


43




 T Soft Tissue


82


72


134




 V Bones & Joints of Skull & 
Spine


20


36


22




 W Other Bones & Joints


352


331


360




  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations have been cancelled in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 in the NHS in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Information on the total number of operations cancelled by the NHS in Scotland is not available centrally.

  Details of cancellations of hospital planned admissions are published annually in the NHS in Scotland Annual Report and Scottish Health Statistics.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3322 by Susan Deacon on 20 January 2000, how many women aged over 64 requested breast screening themselves, rather than being referred by a GP, in each of the past five years, broken down by health board area.

Susan Deacon: The statistics provided in question S1W-3322 cannot be broken down into source of referral. However, a referral for breast screening in a woman over the age of 64 is normally initiated by the woman herself. On occasions, women may seek the advice of their General Practitioner.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Health

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that all women aged over 64 are informed of their right to self-refer for breast screening.

Susan Deacon: Health boards are responsible for raising awareness about the breast screening programme and for providing information reminding women over 64 that they can attend for screening by contacting their General Practitioners or their local screening centres. In addition, breast screening centres are pro-active in raising awareness in women over the age of 64 when undertaking mobile screening in localities.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Justice

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide 100% funding to the Diversion from Prosecution to Social Work and other Service Agencies pilot programme.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive, in conjunction with Crown Office, is currently considering policy on Diversion from Prosecution following the evaluation of 18 pilot schemes. We hope to be in a position to make an announcement about the future of Diversion from Prosecution shortly. Meanwhile a total of nearly £800,000 has been allocated to local authorities for Diversion projects in the current financial year.

Land Reform

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing the Land Reform Action Plan published in August 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that the fourth progress report of action to implement our wide-ranging and extensive Land Reform Action Plan is published today. All MSPs are receiving copies.

  From this, members should note that we now plan to launch our draft Land Reform Bill in February 2001. Our strong commitment to this original and groundbreaking legislation means that we want to take the necessary preparation time to produce legislation that is effective in delivering our proposals for a community right to buy, a crofting community right to buy and a right of responsible access to land and inland water. There are many complex issues involved, and matters were raised with us during consultations which require consideration. I cannot promise that we shall please all consultees, but our aim is to strike the right balance and commitment of time at this preparatory stage is time well spent. We shall, of course, consult on the draft Bill.

  I am pleased to say that, since the May progress report, the National Parks (Scotland) Bill has completed its parliamentary passage and we have undertaken to consult on the principle and detail of possible legislative proposals to assist the Carbeth hutters.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Cabinet sub-committee established to examine the recommendations of the Kerley Report to be in a position to inform the Parliament of the outcome of its deliberations.

Mr Frank McAveety: The Ministerial Working Group will meet shortly to begin its consideration of the recommendations of the Kerley Report. At this stage it is not possible to give a firm date by which the working group will have reached its conclusions.

NHS Modernisation

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the proposed membership of the NHS Modernisation Board, including how many members it will have and the numbers to be drawn from each sector.

Susan Deacon: The NHS Modernisation Board has 15 members. It brings together individuals with a range of skills, perspectives and experience of the NHS and social care services, including a patient perspective, together with senior officials from the Scottish Executive Health Department. The Executive’s modernisation agenda for the NHS in Scotland will also be informed by a Modernisation Forum consisting of representatives of a wide range of stakeholder groups and by the work of a series of national network groups. Details of the members of the Modernisation Board can be found on the Scottish Executive website ( http://www.scotland.gov.uk/news ).

National Stadium

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what areas of the education, culture and sport budget it has identified savings of £2.2 million to part-fund a rescue package for the National Stadium.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive’s contribution to the rescue package came from savings across a range of programmes in the Executive and was made available due to the reallocation of end-year flexibility by the Finance Minister. The money was added to the education, culture and sport budget.

  (This question was originally answered on 11 January 2000).

Oil and Gas Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the effect has been upon the oil and gas fabrication industry of the review conducted by Her Majesty’s Government between 1997 and 1998 of the tax regime on oil and gas in terms of (a) employment impact within the industry, (b) economic impact and (c) deferral of investment by oil companies.

Henry McLeish: Both the tax regime and the regulation of the oil and gas industry are reserved matters.

  The Scottish Executive is fully aware of the problems facing the fabrication industry, not only in Scotland but throughout the rest of the UK and indeed Europe, and of the impact of this on employment and the economy. The Oil and Gas Industry Task Force, on which the Executive is represented, has set up a group to look urgently at these problems, which are largely structural. They arise from changes, such as the much smaller field sizes currently being exploited as the UK Continental Shelf moves towards being a mature province, and from developments in production technology, including sub-sea technology.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is upon which appointments are made to the board of the Scottish Prison Service.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Chief Executive and executive directors are senior civil servants appointed in the normal way. Two non-executive directors have been appointed by Ministers following a competitive selection procedure.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are issued to the Scottish Prison Service as to the manner in which it conducts reviews.

Mr Jim Wallace: Any guidance on such matters informs the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) as it does other parts of the Scottish Executive. The operation of the SPS is governed by its Framework Document.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what quality measures will be included in the criteria used to judge the tenders for the care and treatment of prisoners in Scotland’s jails.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The quality measures included in the criteria are comparable and consistent with those used within the NHSiS. SPS has engaged the offices of the Chief Medical Officer to ensure that service providers propose and deliver a solution commensurate with the high quality expected.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of its Justice budget was spent on penal establishments other than those operated by the Scottish Prison Service or legalised police cells in each of the last three financial years and what the projected expenditure is in each of the next three financial years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of SPS to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information would relate solely to HMP Kilmarnock and is commercially confidential and so cannot be disclosed.

Prison Service

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of prisoners in Scottish jails are registered drug addicts.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  This figure is unavailable, as community agencies are often reluctant to inform the authorities when their clients enter prison. However, around three out of four of those entering prison are drug users and it has been estimated that less than half of these have ever contacted a community drugs agency.

Prison Service

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who would have jurisdiction over an individual suffering from mental illness in prison and who would deal with any possible lapse in care.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Prison Governor, supported by medical and nursing staff, has responsibility for the physical and mental wellbeing of all prisoners in his custody. It would be the Governor’s responsibility to deal with any identified lapse in care.

Prison Service

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offers were received for Penninghame prison by the prescribed closing date; how many came up to the expected price; why no offer was accepted at the closing date, and what steps are being taken to advance the sale.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. Mr Cameron’s response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service are still engaged in the process of disposing of the site in accordance with approved procedures for disposing of surplus government property, designed to secure the best price.

  The SPS, which has engaged specialist property consultants to assist us, cannot properly divulge details of these negotiations as premature disclosure could prejudice a successful outcome for the taxpayer.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Scottish Prison Service to carry out an investigation into the staff turnover rate at Kilmarnock Prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Staff turnover at Kilmarnock is a matter for the contractor, Kilmarnock Prison Services Ltd.

Prostitutes

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what help it currently offers to prostitutes who are intravenous drug users.

Iain Gray: In A Programme for Government , the Scottish Executive has made a commitment to expanding treatment and rehabilitation facilities for drug, alcohol and substance abuse. An action priority in Scotland’s drug strategy is to provide a range of services to meet the assessed needs of drug misusers and their families, including improved and appropriately targeted services for women. At local level, the Executive funds "Routes out" Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) in Glasgow. This SIP specifically aims to prevent women entering into prostitution and seeks to help those already involved in it, to leave prostitution behind. Support is offered to access services such as safe housing, childcare support, drug programmes and training and employment opportunities. The Rough Sleepers Initiative (RSI), a centrally funded Challenge Fund which considers local authority bids for funding, accepted a Glasgow bid to fund a project/research worker at Base 75, a drop in centre for prostitutes in Glasgow.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Prostitutes

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the ages of prostitutes in Glasgow who are intravenous drug users.

Iain Gray: This information is not collected or held centrally. Information from the Glasgow drop in centre for prostitutes, Base 75, indicates that 56% of the 1,109 women registered on its database have injected drugs. The average age of the 99 women who completed a questionnaire for a survey carried out by Base 75 was 26 years, in an age range of 18 to 43. The Glasgow Rough Sleepers Initiative has identified 35% of its female service users in 1999 as heroin users, and of that 35%, 73% were involved in prostitution. More than half of the women were in the 18-25 age range.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Prostitutes

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase funding for organisations which help heroin addicted prostitutes in Glasgow and whether it will give an estimate of the ages of prostitutes in Glasgow.

Iain Gray: Scottish Executive funding for the Routes Out Social Inclusion Partnership is set to increase over each of the next two years - indicative levels are £256,000 for 2000-01 and £263,000 for 2001-02. Information concerning the average age of prostitutes in Glasgow is not collected or held centrally. However, database information on 827 women registered on the database of the Glasgow drop in centre for prostitutes, Base 75, indicates that the average age of these women is 21 years. The age range was 13 to 52 years.

  (This question was originally answered on 24 May 2000).

Public Sector

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage local authorities and other public bodies to utilise the services of Constructionline.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer you to the answer to question S1W-3771 which confirmed that the Scottish Executive is taking steps to encourage the public sector to use the Constructionline database when sourcing contractors and suppliers of professional services.

  The Scottish Executive recently held a series of seminars at which they explained the benefits to public sector organisations, National Health Service Trusts and Further Education Colleges of taking direct line access to the database.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to propose any rail projects to the Strategic Rail Authority and, if so, to provide details of these projects.

Sarah Boyack: The directions and guidance issued by the Scottish Executive to the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) for passenger rail services that start and end in Scotland will reflect the Executive’s strategic priorities for the provision of passenger rail services throughout Scotland. We intend to issue a consultation paper shortly on those priorities. In drawing up the directions and guidance we will work closely with the SRA and in so doing ensure that it is fully appraised of the range of projects currently under consideration across the Scottish network.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) applications were received and (b) grants were made for conversion of motor vehicles to liquid petroleum gas in each year since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: The Energy Saving Trust’s Powershift programme has processed the following Scottish applications and claims since 1997:

  

 

Applications received


Number of grants




1997


2


0




1998


3


3




1999


40


31




2000


91


62




  The difference between applications received and the number of grants is primarily because of applications failing to meet the criteria or being withdrawn.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost of grants for the conversion of motor vehicles to liquid petroleum gas was in each year since 1997.

Sarah Boyack: The annual value of the Energy Saving Trust’s Powershift grants for the conversion of motor vehicles to alternative fuels in Scotland since 1997 is:

  


Year


Amount (£)




1997


0




1998


7,000




1999


290,336




2000


97,000

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public liquid petroleum gas outlets there are in each local authority area.

Sarah Boyack: The information is not held by the Scottish Executive. The Liquid Petroleum Gas Association website ( http://www.lpga.co.uk/ ) lists known sites of automotive liquid petroleum gas fuelling points in the UK.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors to Scotland from abroad come in liquid petroleum gas fuelled vehicles and, if it does not hold this information, whether it proposes to carry out a study on this.

Sarah Boyack: This information is not collected. We do not propose to carry out such a study.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many liquid petroleum gas outlets are available to members of the public (a) on the M74; (b) on the A9 south of Perth; (c) in the City of Glasgow; (d) in Edinburgh; (e) in Aberdeen; (f) in the Borders; (g) in Dumfries and Galloway, and (h) on the A9 from Inverness to Perth.

Sarah Boyack: This information is not held centrally.